the woman in the alcove-第12节

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；　continued　to　be　almost　universally　regarded　as　a　suspect。　

This　seemed　to　me　very　unjust。　What　if　no　other　clue　offered梟o　other　clue；　I　mean；　recognized　as　such　by　police　or　public！　Was　he　not　to　have　the　benefit　of　whatever　threw　a　doubt　on　his　own　culpability？　For　instance；　that　splash　of　blood　on　his　shirt…front；　which　I　had　seen；　and　the　shape　of　which　I　knew！　Why　did　not　the　fact　that　it　was　a　splash　and　not　a　spatter　（and　spatter　it　would　have　been　had　it　spurted　there；　instead　of　falling　from　above；　as　he　stated）；　count　for　more　in　the　minds　of　those　whose　business　it　was　to　probe　into　the　very　heart　of　this　crime　？　To　me；　it　told　such　a　tale　of　innocence　that　I　wondered　how　a　man　like　the　inspector　could　pass　over　it。　But　later　I　understood。　A　single　word　enlightened　me。　The　stain；　it　was　true；　was　In　the　form　of　a　splash　and　not　a　spurt；　but　a　splash　would　have　been　the　result　of　a　drop　falling　from　the　reeking　end　of　the　stiletto；　whether　it　dislodged　itself　early　or　late。　And　what　was　there　to　prove　that　this　drop　had　not　fallen　at　the　instant　the　stiletto　was　being　thrust　Into　the　lantern；　instead　of　after　the　escape　of　the　criminal；　and　the　entrance　of　another　man？　

But　the　mystery　of　the　broken　coffee…cups！　For　that　no　explanation　seemed　to　be　forthcoming。　

And　the　still　unsolved　one　of　the　written　warning　found　in　the　murdered　woman's　hand梐　warning　which　had　been　deciphered　to　read：　〃Be　warned！　He　means　to　be　at　the　ball！　Expect　trouble　if？　Was　that　to　be　looked　upon　as　directed　against　a　man　who；　from　the　nature　of　his　projected　attempt；　would　take　no　one　into　his　confidence？　

Then　the　stiletto梐　photographic　reproduction　of　which　was　in　all　the　papers梬as　that　the　kind　of　instrument　which　a　plain　New　York　gentleman　would　be　likely　to　use　In　a　crime　of　this　nature？　It　was　a　marked　and　unique　article；　capable；　as　one　would　think；　of　being　easily　traced　to　its　owner。　Had　it　been　claimed　by　Mr。　Ramsdell；　had　it　been　recognized　as　one　of　the　many　works　of　art　scattered　about　the　highly…decorated　alcove；　its　employment　as　a　means　of　death　would　have　gone　only　to　prove　the　possibly　unpremeditated　nature　of　the　crime；　and　so　been　valueless　as　the　basis　of　an　argument　in　favor　of　Mr。　Durand's　innocence。　But　Mr。　Ramsdell　had　disclaimed　from　the　first　all　knowledge　of　it；　consequently　one　could　but　feel　justified　in　asking　whether　a　man　of　Mr。　Durand's　judgment　would　choose　such　an　extraordinary　weapon　in　meditating　so　startling　a　crime　which　from　its　nature　and　circumstance　could　not　fail　to　attract　the　attention　of　the　whole　civilized　world。

Another　argument；　advanced　by　himself　and　subscribed　to　by　all　his　friends；　was　this：　That　a　dealer　in　precious　stones　would　be　the　last　man　to　seek　by　any　unlawful　means　to　possess　so　conspicuous　a　jewel。　For　he；　better　than　any　one　else；　would　know　the　impossibility　of　disposing　of　a　gem　of　this　distinction　in　any　market　short　of　the　Orient。　To　which　the　unanswerable　reply　was　made　that　no　one　attributed　to　him　any　such　folly；　that　if　he　had　planned　to　possess　himself　of　this　great　diamond；　it　was　for　the　purpose　of　eliminating　it　from　competition　with　the　one　he　had　procured　for　Mr。　Smythe；　an　argument；　certainly；　which　drove　us　back　on　the　only　plea　we　had　at　our　command梙is　hitherto　unblemished　reputation　and　the　confidence　which　was　felt　In　him　by　those　who　knew　him。　

But　the　one　circumstance　which　affected　me　most　at　the　time；　and　which　undoubtedly　was　the　source　of　the　greatest　confusion　to　all　minds；　whether　official　or　otherwise；　was　the　unexpected　confirmation　by　experts　of　Mr。　Grey's　opinion　in　regard　to　the　diamond。　His　name　was　not　used；　indeed　it　had　been　kept　out　of　the　papers　with　the　greatest　unanimity；　but　the　hint　he　had　given　the　inspector　at　Mr。　Ramsdell's　ball　had　been　acted　upon　and；　the　proper　tests　having　been　made；　the　stone；　for　which　so　many　believed　a　life　to　have　been　risked　and　another　taken；　was　declared　to　be　an　imitation；　fine　and　successful　beyond　all　parallel；　but　still　an　imitation；　of　the　great　and　renowned　gem　which　had　passed　through　Tiffany's　hands　a　twelve…month　before：　a　decision　which　fell　like　a　thunderbolt　on　all　such　as　had　seen　the　diamond　blazing　in　unapproachable　brilliancy　on　the　breast　of　the　unhappy　Mrs。　Fairbrother　only　an　hour　or　two　before　her　death。　

On　me　the　effect　was　such　that　for　days　I　lived　in　a　dream；　a　condition　that；　nevertheless；　did　not　prevent　me　from　starting　a　certain　little　inquiry　of　my　own；　of　which　more　hereafter。　

Here　let　me　say　that　I　did　not　share　the　general　confusion　on　this　topic。　I　had　my　own　theory；　both　as　to　the　cause　of　this　substitution　and　the　moment　when　it　was　made。　But　the　time　had　not　yet　come　for　me　to　advance　it。　I　could　only　stand　back　and　listen　to　the　suppositions　aired　by　the　press；　suppositions　which　fomented　so　much　private　discussion　that　ere　long　the　one　question　most　frequently　heard　in　this　connection　was　not　who　struck　the　blow　which　killed　Mrs。　Fairbrother　（this　was　a　question　which　some　seemed　to　think　settled）；　but　whose　juggling　hand　had　palmed　off　the　paste　for　the　diamond；　and　how　and　when　and　where　had　the　jugglery　taken　place？　

Opinions　on　this　point　were；　as　I　have　said；　many　and　various。　Some　fixed　upon　the　moment　of　exchange　as　that　very　critical　and　hardly　appreciable　one　elapsing　between　the　murder　and　Mr。　Durand's　appearance　upon　the　scene。　This　theory；　I　need　not　say；　was　advanced　by　such　as　believed　that　while　he　was　not　guilty　of　Mrs。　Fairbrother's　murder；　lie　had　been　guilty　of　taking　advantage　of　the　same　to　rob　the　body　of　what；　in　the　terror　and　excitement　of　the　moment；　he　evidently　took　to　be　her　great　gem。　To　others；　among　whom　were　many　eyewitnesses　of　the　event；　it　appeared　to　be　a　conceded　fact　that　this　substitution　had　been　made　prior　to　the　ball　and　with　Mrs。　Fairbrother's　full　cognizance。　The　effectual　way　in　which　she　had　wielded　her　fan　between　the　glittering　ornament　on　her　breast　and　the　inquisitive　glances　constantly　leveled　upon　it　might　at　the　time　have　been　due　to　coquetry；　but　to　them　it　looked　much　more　like　an　expression　of　fear　lest　the　deception　in　which　she　was　indulging　should　be　discovered。　No　one　fixed　the　time　where　I　did；　but　then；　no　one　but　myself　had　watched　the　scene　with　the　eyes　of　love；　besides；　and　this　must　be　remembered；　most　people；　among　whom　I　ventured　to　count　the　police　officials；　were　mainly　interested　in　proving　Mr。　Durand　guilty；　while　I；　with　contrary　mind；　was　bent　on　establishing　such　facts　as　confirmed　the　explanations　he　had　been　pleased　to　give　us；　explanations　which　necessitated　a　conviction；　on　Mrs。　Fairbrother's　part；　of　the　great　value　of　the　jewel　she　wore；　and　the　consequent　advisability　of　ridding　herself　of　it　temporarily；　if；　as　so　many　believed；　the　full　letter　of　the　warning　should　read：　〃Be　warned；　he　means　to　be　at　the　ball。　Expect　trouble　if　you　are　found　wearing　the　great　diamond。〃　

True；　she　may　herself　have　been　deceived　concerning　it。　Unconsciously　to　herself；　she　may　have　been　the　victim　of　a　daring　fraud　on　the　part　of　some　hanger…on　who　had　access　to　her　jewels；　but；　as　no　such　evidence　had　yet　come　to　life；　as　she　had　no　recognized；　or；　so　far　as　could　be　learned；　secret　lover　or　dishonest　dependent；　and；　moreover；　as　no　gem　of　such　unusual　value　was　known　to　have　been　offered　within　the　year；　here　or　abroad；　in　public　or　private　market；　I　could　not　bring　myself　to　credit　this　assumption；　possibly　because　I　was　so　ignorant　as　to　credit　another；　and　a　different　one；梠ne　which　you　have　already　seen　growing　in　my　mind；　and　which；　presumptuous　as　it　was；　kept　my　courage　from　failing　through　all　those　dreadful　days　of　enforced　waiting　and　suspense。　For　I　was　determined　not　to　intrude　my　suggestions；　valuable　as　I　considered　them；　till　all　hope　was　gone　of　his　being　righted　by　the　judgment　of　those　who　would　not　lightly　endure　the　interference　of　such　an　insignificant　mote　in　the　great　scheme　of　justice　as　myself。

The　inquest；　which　might　be　trusted　to　bring　out　all　these　doubtful　points；　had　been　delayed　in　anticipation　of　Mr。　Fairbrother's　return。　His　testimony　could　not　but　prove　valuable；　if　not　in　fixing　the　criminal；　at　least　in　settling　the　moot　point　as　to　whether　the　stone；　which　the　estranged　wife　had　carried　away　with　her　on　leaving　the　house；　had　been　the　genuine　one　returned　to　him　from　Tiffany's　or　the　well…known　imitation　now　in　the　hands　of　the　police。　He　had　been　located　somewhere　in　the　mountains　of　lower　Colorado；　but；　strange　to　say；　It　had　been　found　impossible　to　enter　into　direct　communication　with　him；　nor　was　it　known　whether　he　was　aware　as　yet　of　his　wife's　tragic　death。　So　affairs　went　slowly　in　New　York　and　the　case　seemed　to　come　to　a　standstill；　when　public　opinion　was　suddenly　reawakened　and　a　more　definite　turn　given　to　the　whole　matter　by　a　despatch　from　Santa　Fe　to　the　Associated　Press。　This　despatch　was　to　the　effect　that　Abner　Fairbrother　had　passed　through　that　city　some　three　days　before　on　his　way　to　his　new　mining　camp；　the　Placide；　that　he　then　showed　symptoms　of　pneumonia；　and　from　advices　since　received　might　be　regarded　as　a　very　sick　man。　

Ill；梬ell；　that　explained　matters。　His　silence；　which　many　had　taken　for　ind